Comcast puts Sky-NBC international news channel on indefinite hold

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Comcast is shelving its plans to launch an international news channel.

The service was expected to be a collaboration between NBC News and Sky, which Comcast bought in 2019.

The channel was announced in January 2020 with a target launch of Summer 2020, but now those plans have been put on indefinite hold.

Sources told Deadline that the coronavirus pandemic is at least partially to blame — with NBC execs not seeing the project as financially viable at this point.

NBCU previously announced the launch would be delayed back in April.

Comcast had planned on hiring about 100 to 200 staffers to supplement the current NBC and Sky news teams.

About 50 of those positions had been filled as of the announcement, The Financial Times reported.

With plans for the channel on hold, Comcast says it will review those employees for possible transfer to elsewhere in the company.

Meanwhile, Deadline sources mentioned that Comcast may revisit the idea in the future.